Do You Know the Shape of Your Butt? What are It’s Implications on Your Health?

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The trend in pop culture is bringing to the forefront conversations about butts especially those belonging to women. How big they are, how shapely they are, how well they move, whether they are natural or have had a little cosmetic help and so forth. This trend goes to show that it is indeed the opportune time to really get to know our butts. A good place to start from is by figuring out what shape your butt is. No two people have buttocks that are exactly the same. If you look around at the variety of bottoms out there, you will notice that there are indeed different shapes. Our butts come in all shapes and sizes.

This article takes a look at the most widely recognised butt shapes, their implications on the exercise regimen, the impact they could have on your general health as well as the importance of knowing your butt shape.

The Different Butt Shapes

There are three major aspects of the human body that affect its shape: the skeletal structure; the distribution of fat; and the distribution of muscle on top of the skeleton.

When it comes to buttocks, the determination of the shape is similar. According to a New York plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman, the butt shape is determined by four factors: the placement of the pelvis in relation to the hip bones; the amount of fat you have and its distribution; the size and shape of the underlying gluteal muscles; and the way the butt muscles attach to the thigh bone.

That said, research has revealed that most butt shapes fall into one of four categories demystified below. With reference to the pictures that you shall see in the subsequent paragraphs, don’t be too concerned if none of them matches the way your butt looks. The pictures are simply meant to be used as a guide. The sheer variation in the human body structure means that not everyone will fit into a predefined category.

1) Square – “H” Shape (Box Butt)

As the name suggests, this shape looks square or boxy and is caused by either higher more prominent hip bones, or a distribution of fat in the ‘love handle’ area. This fat distribution may give the impression that the butt extends into the love handles and the waist thereby making the butt appear more top heavy. Basically, the fat accumulation in your bum and lower back is even. Even fat distribution could be an indicator that the gluteal muscles are a little weak. As a result, the hip bone and outer thigh are perfectly in line rather than tapering to the waist with a smooth curve. This creates a flat appearance. Square butts are equal in size from waist to hips. This is the most common shape, especially in younger women.

According to Dr, Schulman, square shaped bodies may require aggressive and hard surgeries to reshape them. Some simple core exercises or glute exercises help to reduce excess fat around the waist and strengthen the glute muscles. A low fat diet and engaging in exercises that strengthen the gluteal muscles can help reduce fat deposits close to the hips.

Having a square bottom means the fat is stored closer to waistline. Research has shown that having fat stored around your waistline puts you at an increased risk of health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes. In order to reduce the risk of developing these conditions, you should avoid a diet high in saturated fats, refined sugars and carbohydrates.

2) Inverted – “V” Shape Butt

This butt shape is common among women with broad shoulders and very narrow hips. The major characterising feature is the line between the pelvis and hips angling inwards leading to the butt taking on a “V” shape from behind. The butt has fullness at the top portion and at the hips but narrows in size and shape towards the bottom. It lacks volume on the outside part of the lower butt cheeks thereby projecting the appearance that the butt is heavier than it is.

The V shape is more commonly seen in older women approaching menopause whose lower estrogen levels have resulted in the shift of fat storage from the butt to the midsection. Unfortunately this butt shape is also prone to sagging since the fat is accumulated at the bottom of the butt.

If you have this bottom, it is important to start shedding fat quickly to protect the heart from the upward moving fat. Therefore, start amping up activity and glute exercise before the fat settles in a less healthy spot. It doesn’t hurt to increase your ab exercise regime too!

3) Heart or Pear – “A” Shape (Oval Butt)

The heart or pear shape butt is generally considered to be the most feminine of the butt shapes. A pear shaped butt has a smaller top and flared large bottom around the lower portion of the butt and thighs. The butts are wider below the hip bone. Women with this butt shape have a smaller waistline as the body increases in volume going down. This gives the butt a tapered look from the waistline to the bottom of the butt (hence the “A” shape or ‘upside down heart’ description). Fat distribution for this type concentrates around the lower portion of the butt and thighs.

This shape is easier to enhance than others. However, there is generally not a lot of fat that is available to create a bigger shape. Therefore their expansion is bit difficult. The shape could also mean that extra weight stored in the upper thighs. The heart shaped butt tends to lose fat faster when women age.

As explained earlier, as the woman approaches menopause, the fat will move upwards to the mid-section. Getting extra fat out early in life may be best for future health. To tone up your shape, work out your thighs to avoid excess fat.

4) Round or Bubble– “C” or “O” Shape (Cherry Shaped Butt)

Commonly referred to as a bubble butt due to its round appearance, a round butt is characterized by a fat distribution around the cheeks of the butt – including the upper portion of the cheek. This causes a rounded effect when viewed from behind. The shape often sits high when viewed from the side and is usually quite perky and full. It is also called a cherry shaped booty. These butts are almost even all around and appear round.

A circle shape is good and healthy. It also means that there may be some fat storage near the upper part of the glutes. It is easy to remove any extra fat from the bottom if needed. These butts can be easier to shape than other types by incorporating a well-balanced diet with good macro nutrient balance and exercise. This way you may be able to get rid of any excess fat on the butt. If you want a rounder butt strengthening the butt muscles can give your backside more projection without surgical intervention.

The problem with this shape is that, too much fat in the butt can make it look disproportionate to the rest of the body. The extra fat at the top, shouldn’t be of much concern. This is because, the fat storage is in the upper part of your gluteal muscles rather than the edges, like in the square shaped bottom.

What is the Importance of Knowing Your Butt Shape

While it is not exactly a glamorous topic of discussion, there are a couple of reasons why you should understand the shape of your buttocks.

Firstly, knowing the shape of your buttocks is essential if you are interested in making changes to their appearance whether naturally or though a cosmetic boost. Every woman wants a perfectly shaped derriere. Once you understand the shape of your buttocks, you will be able to target the areas you’re not happy with through exercises, cosmetic procedures, or through carefully selected items of clothing. It is important to note that while you can change some parts of your buttocks, there are also other aspects of the buttocks’ shape that are un-changeable for example your bone structure.

Secondly, knowing your butt shape will enable you to determine the underwear that fits you perfectly and lifts and supports all the right places. When you have the right underwear on, you will be very comfortable and the appearance of your butt will be greatly enhanced.

Lastly, the shape of your butt can say a lot about your health. Fat storage near the chest or in the trunk of the body are far more dangerous than fat stored in the butt or the hips. Research has shown that fat in the hips and buttocks “keeps the fatty acids away from the heart, the arteries and the liver thereby lowering your risk of heart disease and other debilitating problems like diabetes. Fat storage around the butt and thighs in women is caused primarily by the hormone Estrogen. Unfortunately Estrogen levels can decrease as we age leading to fat being stored around the abdomen and midsection instead of the butt. Knowing your butt shape will help you pinpoint the areas where fat tends to get stored and inform you on the appropriate action to take (be it exercise, change of diet and so forth).

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Looking at the shapes, I think I fall in the H category. I find it very hard to sculpt my butt to have volume in the lower parts no matter how many squats I do. Could you please talk about the different exercises that can help increase the volume of the butt in the lower portion of the bum